GP Harelbeke *live*

calvjones

Boring cobbled Classics season in prospect then.

andyp

Get a grip you bunch of bedwetters.

It's not a given he'll win one, never mind both.

rick_chasey

I don't think Boonen would have changed the race much - other then perhaps lighting it up on the Taaienberg.

iainf72

andyp wrote:

Get a grip you bunch of bedwetters.

It's not a given he'll win one, never mind both.

Better a bedwetter than Leopard Trek fanboi

afx237vi

Just saw the final 5km... I like the way he sat up and straightened his jersey at the finish so he could point out his sponsors.

inkyfingers

Bloddy Haussler should have saved his energy for second...does he not care about my PTP!

Arkibal

afx237vi wrote:

Just saw the final 5km... I like the way he sat up and straightened his jersey at the finish so he could point out his sponsors.

well played!

Great win, but I hope this is not a prediction of what's coming...

BenWatson89

Are there any video highlights knocking around?

andyp

Start here;

http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/videozon ... .990103#cf

All The Gears

afx237vi wrote:

Just saw the final 5km... I like the way he sat up and straightened his jersey at the finish so he could point out his sponsors.

Yes,I thought that was quite funny,he was at a bit of a loss really !

greasedscotsman

ozzzyosborn206 wrote:

anyone dare to bet against him for flanders and roubaix?

I thought he was supposed to be winning Liege this year?

jerry3571

Tankink had a hell of a quick recovery from cramp after cancellara came past. Pained grabbing of the leg and an expression of being shot by a 12 bore in the Hamstring but a second passes and he's out of the saddle sprinting again. My cramps were usually a sign to grab my drink and hobble home after a night of torture usually being brutalised by Greg Sandy who rode off the front of the 40 man group Cancellara style.
I think the faked cramp may have been for the Manager saying "please don't ask me to chase; my poor legs!"

-Jerry

le_patron

jerry3571 wrote:

Tankink had a hell of a quick recovery from cramp after cancellara came past. Pained grabbing of the leg and an expression of being shot by a 12 bore in the Hamstring but a second passes and he's out of the saddle sprinting again. My cramps were usually a sign to grab my drink and hobble home after a night of torture usually being brutalised by Greg Sandy who rode off the front of the 40 man group Cancellara style.
I think the faked cramp may have been for the Manager saying "please don't ask me to chase; my poor legs!"

-Jerry

Ha ha - just watched that bit. Funny.

Got to feel for the others though. All their reference points about how much power they need to kick out go out of the window when Cancellara comes monstering past, Gawd knows what goes through their minds, it must feel like something is wrong with them.

patchy

le patron wrote:

Go to feel for the others though. All their reference points about how much power they need to kick out go out of the window when Cancellara comes monstering past, Gawd knows what goes through their minds, it must feel like something is wrong with them.

Or wondering how high his haematocrit is? That was scary dominating - a little too dominating perhaps? Still, I'm sure it's had the desired effect and scared the crap out of all but the top contenders for flanders and p-r.

calvjones

“It's unbelievable. It's not normal... I mean, it's impossible to beat him,” Vanmarcke said.

smithy21

OK, it was impressive and he is strong favourite for flanders/roubaix but the quality in the field yesterday was pretty thin.

ozzzyosborn206

greasedscotsman wrote:

ozzzyosborn206 wrote:

anyone dare to bet against him for flanders and roubaix?

I thought he was supposed to be winning Liege this year?

i think he wanted to give it a try but with leopard being in its first year they wanted a better chance of winning a big race so they 'don't 'do a sky'

frenchfighter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... OZCXiaaSpU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ctkUu72 ... r_embedded

rick_chasey

Pffft - watched it again.

Cancellara comes from a hell of a long way back, and he barely has an respite before he launches himself for the solo win.

Reminds me a bit of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6DmNMGEuI0

Just smashing everyone and using the groups just as respite.

I can't look past him for the double again.

He has the speed where he can put strong guys like Gilbert and Boonen under pressure when on the flats so come the hellingen there is no response.

ratsbeyfus

The young rider (Vanmarcke) was attached to countless moves that went in the finale, but when the move that defined the day went, like everyone else, he was powerless, left only to think of superlatives at the end of the day.

"How would I describe his performance in one word? Ridiculous."

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/7913/Garmin-Cervelos-Sep-Vanmarcke-on-Fabian-Cancellara-Ridiculous.aspx

Is this a rider voicing his suspicions, or a young rider truly in awe of Canc's power?

rick_chasey

It's hard to know what he really meant unless you hear it in his mother tongue - cycling websites don't necessarily translate that accurately...

I'm sure Cancellara is calm - err I mean tranquilo.

Bernardus

Rick Chasey wrote:

It's hard to know what he really meant unless you hear it in his mother tongue - cycling websites don't necessarily translate that accurately...

I think it is poorly translated, he said zot a word used in Flanders which means crazy/insane/foolish. Ridiculous is a much "stronger" (more judgmental) word.

calvjones

Rick Chasey wrote:

Pffft - watched it again.

Cancellara comes from a hell of a long way back, and he barely has an respite before he launches himself for the solo win.

Reminds me a bit of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6DmNMGEuI0

Just smashing everyone and using the groups just as respite.

I can't look past him for the double again.

He has the speed where he can put strong guys like Gilbert and Boonen under pressure when on the flats so come the hellingen there is no response.

Yeah, he'll take Flanders but he could easily get done in Roubaix if everyone is watchful enough.

Another for Stuey maybe?

rick_chasey

calvjones wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Pffft - watched it again.

Cancellara comes from a hell of a long way back, and he barely has an respite before he launches himself for the solo win.

Reminds me a bit of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6DmNMGEuI0

Just smashing everyone and using the groups just as respite.

I can't look past him for the double again.

He has the speed where he can put strong guys like Gilbert and Boonen under pressure when on the flats so come the hellingen there is no response.

Yeah, he'll take Flanders but he could easily get done in Roubaix if everyone is watchful enough.

Another for Stuey maybe?

I think O'Grady is too old - the way that roubaix panned out was very unusual anyway.

I can't see how anyone can hold Fabian's wheel in Roubaix. Flanders is the more tactical of the two.

Pross

Cancellara is the first rider since I have been watching who can ride like that. It is the closest I have seen to a rider being a certainty for a one day race, to have that many mechanical problems and then be able to jump across to the break before going straight through and winning by that sort of margin is awesome (genuine use of one of the most over-used words!).

deejay

calvjones wrote:

Flanders but he could easily get done in Roubaix if everyone is watchful enough.

They will be and Tom will be very watchful this time.

ratsbeyfus

Bernardus wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

It's hard to know what he really meant unless you hear it in his mother tongue - cycling websites don't necessarily translate that accurately...

I think it is poorly translated, he said zot a word used in Flanders which means crazy/insane/foolish. Ridiculous is a much "stronger" (more judgmental) word.

Thanks for clearing that up. I really hope he is clean, coz he's an amazing rider, but I think it was Boardman (?) who said "If it looks too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true..."

Still, he'll be my PTP pick for Flanders for certain.

frenchfighter

If this domination was shown on a mountain there would be numerous pages and threads of you guys trying to assert doping. Because it is a flat road it doesnt matter or matters much less.

Before you ask, no I dont think he is a doper.

iainf72

frenchfighter wrote:

If this domination was shown on a mountain there would be numerous pages and threads of you guys trying to assert doping. Because it is a flat road it doesnt matter or matters much less.

Before you ask, no I dont think he is a doper.

A lot of people don't believe his performances. Anyone whos ridden for Ferriti and Riis and been "coached" by cecchini spells trouble.

calvjones

iainf72 wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

If this domination was shown on a mountain there would be numerous pages and threads of you guys trying to assert doping. Because it is a flat road it doesnt matter or matters much less.

Before you ask, no I dont think he is a doper.

A lot of people don't believe his performances. Anyone whos ridden for Ferriti and Riis and been "coached" by cecchini spells trouble.

+1.